SGT Paul Willard Smith

courtesy of David Sifford

SGT Paul Willard Smith was born on 23 Nov 1919 in Frisco, Oklahoma (now a ghost town) in Canadian County. He was the 5th of 9 children born to Benjamin Franklin and Nellie V. (Butler) Smith. His father was a laborer and during the depression the family moved quite a bit living mostly in Belton and Lubbock, Texas. His father was known to most as "Frank" and in 1940 he was paying $10 a month rent and reporting a 1939 income of $624. Paul married Obeda Alyene Johnston originally from Mena, Arkansas. The couple had their first child, a boy, in September 1942.

Paul was drafted in late 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to the European theater. We do not know if he was home on furlough when he and his wife had their 2nd child, a daughter this time, in June 1944. PVT Smith was transferred from the replacement depot to B Company 116th Infantry on 17 Jul 1944. PVT Smith was injured in action on 3 Aug 1944. He returned to the unit direct from the hospital on 10 Sep 1944 and was promoted to PFC on 12 Sep 1944. He must have demonstrated some leadership skills because he was promoted to SGT on 18 Oct 1944 as the unit moved into Germany and against German forces in Aachen. SGT Smith was killed in action on 22 Oct 1944.

SGT Smith was repatriated and re-interred in May of 1948. He now rests forever in the City of Lubbock Cemetery in Lubbock, Texas.

Paul and Obeda's daughter died when she was accidentally suffocated in November 1944.